Delusions of a WindClan Warrior
by GuidexYouxHome
Summary: One day, Crowfeather and Leafpool would be together in StarClan. But Nightcloud would have to bear the pain of unrequited love for eternity.


**Hey guys! This is my first Warriors story, so hold your fire xD. A few notes about this: though this first chapter may seem like it, there isn't really going to be much CrowxNight in this story. In my opinion, he treats her like dirt \. But yeah, although it's going to be clear that Crowfeather loves Leafpool, this story is going to be through Nightcloud's point of view, and thus very angsty. I do feel sorry for her...it's hard not to, if you think about it.**

**Anywho, please read and review! Constructive critisism is awesome, but flames are not.**

**Disclaimer: I own none of these characters('cept Sparrowtail, I totally made him up :P) They all belong to Erin Hunter, blah blah blah. **

**Oh, and this chapter is the prologue. It'll take place during Sunset...ish...or maybe a little bit afterward. After this, though, the story will jump to present-time.**

Nightcloud hated storms. She crouched under a rock in the WindClan camp, her eyes narrowing slightly as the rain roared around her.

"Come on, Nightcloud. Stop acting like a scared mouse--the nursery shelter isn't going to repair itself." Tornear's stern expression glared down at her.The black warrior's ears twitched irritably. The tabby tom had no right to order her around, even if he was a senior warrior. Still, she couldn't see where arguing would get her. Her pride would not allow her to let her clan-mates see her fear.

She stood up and stalked moodily past Tornear without acknowledging his statement. Several warriors had already gathered around the nursery, trying to repair its damaged walls. Most WindClan cats were content to sleep out in the open, but the nursery had always been well-protected. Nightcloud knew that it was important for it to stay that way, but she wished the queens wouldn't complain like the kits they nursed.

Attempting to ignore the thunder overhead, Nightcloud gingerly fastened her teeth around a bramble and began pulling it toward the den.

--

_Thunder crashed overhead, though it was barely audible over the endless downpour of the rain. A lithe she-cat sood motionless through it all, her black pelt plastered to her body.Green eyes stared down at the limp form before her in wordless horror. Lightning flashed, and this seemed to knock the she-cat out of her terrified trance. She took several steps back, nearly slipping in the slick moorland grass._

_"Sparrowtail?" The she-cat whispered, her voice edged with disbelief. How could this have happened? She and her mentor had been hunting together only moments ago. Then the storm had come, and they'd been running back to camp. He'd only been a few rabbit-lengths ahead of her...the lightning...it had struck so quickly. The apprentice winced. Sparrowtail's glazed eyes stared up at her, and she could hardly bear to meet them._

_"Sparrowtail, don't go. I need you." She pleaded with the fallen warrior. Sparrowtail was too weak to manage the smile that flickered in his gaze._

_"You don't need me," He assured in a faint rasp. "You're almost a warrior now...and I'm so proud of you."_

_She took a step foreward and buried her nose in his singed fur. "But what will I do without you?" She whispered. Sparrowtail was her mentor, and her first love. He meant everything to her. How could StarClan be so cruel? But Sparrowtail's breathing was growing more and more shallow, until it had almost ceased._

_"Serve your Clan, Nightpaw. And one day...you'll find your happy ending." _

_Nightpaw didn't see how she could ever be happy again. She said nothing, however, her eyes closed. "I love you," She murmured, so quietly that it could have been a trick of the wind. The apprentice sat beside her mentor in silence, her head bowed, until he drew his final breath. The rain continued to fall._

--

"Weaselfur!" A hiss sounded from behind her. "You're no use to any cat dropping leaves all over the place like a clumsy apprentice. Do you want to get your ears clawed off? Because that's what will happen if any of those kits catch a chill." It was Crowfeather who had spoken. Nightcloud had never known the dark warrior well; everything about him seemed to be shrouded in mystery. The only thing she knew about him was that he was infamous for his sharp tongue. After he'd attempted to run away with the ThunderClan medicine cat, there weren't too many who _wanted _to know. Yet, something about him intrigued her. Nightcloud tilted her ears back, straining to hear Weaselfur's reply. She couldn't make out more than the sounds of a disdainful mutter, however.

"You can tell that to Onestar." Crowfeather replied in a low growl. "He trusts me, whatever you might say, and has his reasons for putting me in charge here. Would you like to question them?"

When the ginger warrior did not reply, Crowfeather lashed his tail once and padded away. As he swept toward Nightcloud, a particularly loud crash of thunder shook the camp. Before she could stop herself, Nightcloud leaped backward, her fur on end. She'd forgotten to hold on to the bramble clump, which was now blowing away across the camp. Crowfeather lept past her in a flash. She watched as he darted after the brambles, catching them before they could go too far. Wordlessly, he turned and carried them back toward her.

Nightcloud tensed. Crowfeather's temper was sharp as it was, and tonight he seemed particularly stressed. Her eyes narrowed as they met his, daring him to snap at her like he had at Weaselfur. But the dark grey tom merely set his catch down before her, surveying her quietly.

"You alright?" He asked gruffly.

Nightcloud nodded wordlessly, furious with herself for letting her fear get the best of her. Crowfeather had obviously seen what happened, and she now found that she couldn't meet his gaze.

He watched her for a moment longer. "I'll take this back for you, then." He meowed at last. "After that, we should be about done."

Nightcloud watched him go in surprised silence. She wasn't quite sure what to make of this gesture. Part of her wanted to show him that she could manage just fine without his help, but the other part was undeniabley grateful. She turned and padded toward the stone once again. This time, however, she merely sat down stiffly. She wouldn't let the storm get the best of her.

Lightning flashed. She remembered the cry of pain; Sparrowtail, falling...she closed her eyes as if to deny the memory. It was a long time before she opened them again, though it felt like only moments. It was then that she realized that the skies were clearing, and the downpour had slowed to a mere drizzle. The storm was over.

Nightcloud gazed around and instantly spotted a familiar dark shape lurking nearby. Crowfeather was eyeing her warily, a rabbit at his paws.

"You're the only one who hasn't eaten." He told her in that same detached voice. Nightcloud stared from the rabbit to the warrior, before nodding her thanks and leaning to take a bite of the prey. The black she-cat swallowed, only to find that she no longer had an appetite. She turned away.

"You must think I'm a coward." Nightcloud said eventually, gazing out over the moorland.

Crowfeather twitched his ears. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself." He told her briskly. "No cat is fearless. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Nightcloud bristled, turning to face the tom sharply. Feeling sorry for herself?! He had a lot of nerve. "You don't even know me." She denied, although her voice was calmer than she'd intended it to be.

"I know that Sparrowtail was your mentor." Crowfeather looked down at his clan-mate. There was a speak of understanding in his eyes. "Wasn't he?"

She blinked in surprise that he'd connected the dots, and then nodded slowly. "He was." She confirmed. "But that was a long time ago. The past doesn't matter." Even as Nightcloud spoke, she wondered whether she was trying to convince Crowfeather, or herself.

"Yeah, well. Good luck convincing anyone around here of that. I've tried." Crowfeather told her wryly. Nightcloud knew that he was referring to Leafpool, the cat he'd fallen in love with. Not only was she from ThunderClan, but she was ThunderClan's medicine cat. Needless to say, WindClan hadn't reacted well when Crowfeather had returned. She knew that the dark warrior had lost much of the popularity he'd once had, and a stab of sympathy pricked her.

"They'll get over it." She re-assured him, grateful to steer the conversation away from her fear of storms.

Crowfeather lifted his chin slightly. "It's not that simple. I know I'll have to earn their trust again, and I plan to." He stated firmly.

"I trust you..." Nightcloud protested. "And Onestar does, and Ashfoot."

"You mean you _sympathize_ with me." Crowfeather corrected bitterly. "I hardly know you, like you said."

Nightcloud titled her head and gazed at him thoughtfully. "Well," she murmured, "I want to trust you. It meant a lot, what you did. Coming back to WindClan." Their gazes met, and for a long moment no words were said. Nightcloud wondered what, exactly, was going through that mysterious mind of his. She wished he'd tell her.

"I'm supposed to go on patrol with Webfoot." Crowfeather announced at last. He stood up, and she was certain that he was about to walk away from her, however abrupt it seemed. But the warrior hesitated. "Would you...like to come with me?"

Nightcloud met his gaze in surprise. Something stirred in that steady blue gaze of his; a sort of guarded...detachment? Perhaps she was just imagining things. What other motive could he possibly have for inviting her, unless he wanted to get to know her better? There was still an unquestionable sense of doubt in the air, but Nightcloud pushed it away. She smiled slightly. "I...okay.Sure." The black she-cat stood up as well, and together they padded across the camp. As she looked at him out of the corner of her eye, Nightcloud felt a prickle of curiousity and anticipation for what the future would bring. Being around this warrior seemed to ignite a spark of electricity within her.

Maybe, just maybe, that happy ending wasn't so far off.

**So, there you are! It's nothing special, I know. Please review! It would make me ever so happy **


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